With Christmas only a little more than a month away Shanghal_residents, stirred by thoughts of family and homeland, have already posted most of the erds and gifts to their friends and relations at home, but the! custom has undergone a profound change this year. It is remarkable how many people have forwarded reiittances to Christmas eard published: and agencies in London to have the cards oF gitts forwarded direct from London. "Of course, much of the charm of the yuletide custom is Tost In this way for it ocks the supervision and Individual choice which make It Such a personal affair, and the characteristic products of an oriental} country are lacking in the collection of cards ranged along the mantelpiece. But it does represent a distinct! economy and these are no days to Ignore the possibility of saving, even on a custom which ig traditionally associated wita generosity and abundance, Postal rates are fixed accord Ing to international. agreement but Fepregent a high tariff on a mere card Also, in regard to things ike silk calendars and other ornamental trites there are in some cases customs duties to be pald which add to the cost and make the Christmas habit expensive, SULL, Shanghat takes these. things fully In its expansive manner and, incidentally, there are two more: Christmas mails for England, the President Lincoln sailing on November 24 and" the President MeKinley November 27 with mails which will arrive in London on December 21,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.